It’s April, which means it’s time for teams to take a break from signing free agents and shift their focus to the NFL draft, which starts April 27th. The Chicago Bears have already shaken up the draft, sending the first overall pick in a blockbuster trade with the Carolina Panthers for the 9th pick, the 61st pick, a 2024 first, a 2025 second, and WR DJ Moore. At their new spot, the Bears have the assets to move back up if they want, or they could trade back down and get even more picks to help fix the worst team in the league last season. For this article, I will narrow down the Bears selection to 10 players assuming they remain at the 9th pick.
Who Won’t Be There For Sure
Safe to say 3 QBs for sure won’t be there in CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, and Anthony Richardson. It’s also very likely Will Levis isn’t there either though I could see him falling whereas I can’t see the same for the other three. Will Anderson, the best prospect in the class, will definitely be taken long before 9. After that, it’s wide open, so some of these players I list will be there come that Thursday night, some won’t be. There is no specific order.
The Prospects
Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia
Carter was considered the best prospect in the draft for a while. However, he struggled in the playoff, and then off-field issues cropped up after he was arrested for reckless driving. He then got gassed at his pro day. The only for sure thing about his stock right now is that he is no longer a better pick than Will Anderson. But Carter is still the best DT in the draft, and the entire DL for the Bears still needs work. They have met with Carter twice so there is definitely interest. Of the players on this list, Carter is the one most likely to be gone before the 9th pick, and the Bears have a track record of staying away from players with character concerns. Still, if he’s there at 9, Poles is gonna think hard about picking him.
Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
Wilson is most experts’ pick as the second best EDGE rusher after Will Anderson. He has better intangibles and measurables than Anderson, being taller, bulkier, stronger, heavier, and longer. He just doesn’t have the bending speed which really sets Anderson apart. Still, Wilson has a sky-high ceiling and would be given immense opportunity as the Bears top DE (him being bigger than Anderson helps in a 4-3 base scheme). Similar to Carter, however, the teams ahead of the Bears not picking QBs will likely go defense. So Detroit or Seattle or Atlanta could scoop up Wilson before 9. But Wilson was considered a potential Bears target when the talk was trading down to 4 or 7, so getting him at 9 would be a coup.
Paris Johnson Jr, OL, Ohio State
Johnson was the RG for OSU in 2021, then seamlessly transitioned to one of the best LT’s in the country this season. He has the exact measurables you want out of your tackle, and his versatility is definitely valuable for a team in need of multiple positions on the OL. Plus, he played a little bit with Justin Fields. With Johnson just now starting at LT, the sky is the limit for him. He could play either LT or RT for the Bears.
Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
Skoronski, as opposed to Johnson, has more experience (3 years starting vs 2) and all of them at LT. He is considered better with his technique than Johnson. What he doesn’t have that Johnson does have is versatility in game and the perfect measurables. Some scouts are considered that Skoronski’s short arms will force him to be a guard in the NFL. While I don’t think he’ll need to change positions, it’s a valid concern. Personally, I think they are almost as good as each other so the Bears cannot go wrong.
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
Now with the CBs it’s similar to the OTs with two guys vying to be the first one chosen. Gonzalez has all the measurables, being taller and faster than Witherspoon. His tape isn’t quite as good, but it’s still elite. His versatility is what may set him apart and allow him to get picked first. And Oregon DBs have had a lot of success in the NFL.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
Witherspoon has better tape, and is the best man corner in the draft. He has better press abilities than Gonzalez and is more physical. He is a little shorter and slower but he still was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe award this season. And Illinois has a great defensive scheme that can allow Witherspoon to quickly adjust to the NFL. He is also the best trash-talker in the draft. Compared to the OTs, I do have a preference for Witherspoon here, but that may be my Illini bias. Either one could easily become an elite CB duo with Jaylon Johnson and allow Kyler Gordon to continue to man the slot.
Jaxson Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
JSN was most Bears fans’ pick to be the guy back in the fall. Now with the acquisitions of DJ Moore and to a lesser extent, Chase Claypool, he hasn’t been on people’s mind as much. But throughout the draft process he has come back to be the established number 1 receiver in the draft and the Bears seem very interested having met with him multiple times. You can never have enough weapons, and JSN would immediately be an elite option out of the slot. Plus he has some chemistry with Justin Fields. Personally, the Bears have too many other needs to go with another WR, and they could try to use both their firsts next season to get a more generational prospect in Marvin Harrison Jr, but I wouldn’t hate this pick especially with Claypool and Mooney becoming free agents next offseason.
Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
Murphy got some top 5 buzz earlier in the year. It’s cooled down a bit but he is still battling with Tyree Wilson to be the second EDGE drafted. He is quite similar to Wilson except he struggles to finish his rushes a little more. Clemson DL have had a lot of success in the NFL. He has a little more finesse than Wilson but not enough to overcome the difference in power. Murphy would be a nice get, but he is probably bottom 3 on this list of players I hope end up a Bear, but above Nolan Smith, Lukas Van Ness, and Broderick Jones.
Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
More Notre Dame TEs anybody? Most give the edge of best TE to Mayer over Dalton Kincaid, and I agree as Mayer is a little bit bigger making him a slightly better blocker, and he produced all 3 seasons in college vs just 2 from Kincaid. Now it may seem like a luxury pick, but two TEs is different from 4 WRs, as we saw the New England Patriots have a lot of success offensively in the early 2010s with two star TEs. If you believe Mayer can be a top 5 TE very soon, similar to how Kyle Pitts was thought of, you take him. However I would not take him above the aforementioned prospects.
Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Robinson is considered the best RB prospect since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Now he won’t go top 5 because teams have learned their lesson there. But the Bears are probably the first team that makes sense picking him following the loss of David Montgomery. Philly and many teams in the teens make sense too. He is elite and would immediately make an impact. However, I would not like the pick unless the Bears traded down into the late teens. There’s just too many needs to pick a RB when you already have Khalil Herbert.
Quick top 16 Mock Draft
- Carolina Panthers (via CHI): CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State
- Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
- Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama
- Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
- Seattle Seahawks (via DEN): Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
- Detroit Lions: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
- Las Vegas Raiders: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
- Atlanta Falcons: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
- Chicago Bears (via CAR): Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
- Philadelphia Eagles (via NO): Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
- Tennessee Titans: Paris Johnson Jr, OL, Ohio State
- Houston Texans: Jaxson Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
- New York Jets: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
- New England Patriots: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
- Green Bay Packers: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
- Washington Commanders: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
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